The Sun. — London, England, 1864-05-24 00:00:00

IDIPERIA.L PARLIAMENT HOUSE OF LORDS—Last Evening, The Loao CIiAIiCRLLOR took his seat on the woolsack at five o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were read a third time and passed : Kilkenny Junction Railway—Parsonstown and Portumna Bridge Railway—Pontypridd Water—North-Eastern — Lancashire and Yorkshire and West Yorkshire Railway Companies Amendments. THE REGIUS PROFESSORSHIP OF GREEK. The Earl of DERBY referred to some remarks made by the noble and learned lord on the woolsack in the course of his speech the other evening on the occasion of the debate upon the subject of the endowment of the Regius Professorship of Greek at Oxford. The observations of the noble and learned lord conveyed what had been considered a reflection upon the university, which, he said, had obtained certain grants from the public, certain exemptions from taxation, and especially an exemp tion of the privileges given to the Queen's printer, on con ditions that they should devote a portion of the emoluments to the endowment of the professorship of Greek. He denied ' that when these privileges were conferred upon the Uni versity there was any stipulation for the endowing of the Greek professorship, nor any stipulation for the endow ment of the professorship. W ere the charge substantial he should be as ashamed as he was proud of his connection with the University. The LORD CHANCELL OR readily exonerated the University from having committed a breach of any distinct understanding, but censured it for having f provision he Greek Professor. Lord GRANVILLE also condemned the course pursued by the University, after which the subject dropped. COUNTY COURTS ACTS AMENDMENT BILL. On the order of the day for the second reading of this bill, Lord BROUGHAM, after briefly referring to the civil war in America and the war between Denmark and Ger ny, said that 58 out of 60 county court judges were op posed to that part of the present measure which provided for the abolition of the power of imprisonment for debt on judgment summonses. There were 900,000 plaints brought every year in the county courts. These did not result in more than 9,000 judgment summonses; while a very small proportion of those against whom such summons were taken out were sent to prison. The truth was that the proportion of those who were imprisoned on judgments obtained from the county courts was lees than that of those against whom judgments were obtained in the superior courts. Under these circumstances he could not assent to this part of the bill; but, on the other haled, those of its provisions which invested the county courts with an equitable jurisdiction had his cordial approval. He concurred with the Lord Chan cellor in thinking that it was desirable to introduce a shorter period of limitation for small debts than that which was at present fixed by law. Lord ST. LEONARDS objected not only to the aboli tion of imprisonment for debt on judgment summonses, but also to the reduction of the pericd of limitation for small debts from six years to one year. He thought that it would not be safe to reduce that term to less than three years. Credit was capital , and if they took from the labouring classes their credit they took from them their only capital. A labouring man would be placed in the most serious difficulties, and would often be driven into the workhouse if he were not enabled to obtain credit during hard times, or the winter season, when he could not obtain employment. But it was clear that if they abolished the power of imprisonment for debt, no one would trust the poor man who had no property. He thought also that their sympathies in legislating on this subject should not be be stowed wholly on the debtor; they ought also to bear in mind the position of the creditor. He had a fair right to be provided with an effectual means of recovering his debts ; this he would not have if the power of imprisoning the debtor ware taken away. It was true that the bill provided that a debtor might be imprisoned if he had contracted his liabilities by fraud, or had wilfully wasted his property by unjustifiable extravagance after the issue of the judgment summons; but he did not think that a creditor ought to be driven to trove either of these things—both of which would frequently involve considerable difficulty—before he could be entitled to take steps practically effective for the enforce ment of his claims. The noble and learned lord proposed that when a judgment was obtained against a labouring man, the county court judge should issue a notice to his employer requiring him to set aside a portion of the man's wages, and pay them over to the high bailiff in dis charge of his debt. It would be quite impracticable to work an enactment of this kind. The only effect of trying to en force it would be that, as soon as any employer received such a notice as he had described, he would discharge the man to whom it related. He strongly objected to investing the county court judges with the powers of judges of courts of equity. They had not the requisite knowledge to enable them to discharge such functions. And he was perfectly certain that it they enabled suits which were at present con ducted in the Court of Chancery to be brought in county courts, the result would be an immense and most injurious increase of litigation. Lord CHELMSFORD was anxious that the subject to which this bill related should not be regarded as a legal question. It was, in truth, a social question of the highest importance, and involving very deeply the welfare of the labouring classes. This bill might be divided into two gene ral heads. 11.3 would not refer to that part of the bill which conferred equitable jurisdictionupon the county courts, be cause he believed that this might be found very useful. He would confine his remarks to that other portion of the mea sure which deprived county court judges of the power of imprisoning debtors who refused or neglected to pay their debts under £2O after judgment had been recovered against them. In 1859 the Legislature took away from the judges the power of committing, except in cases of fraud, or where it appeared to the satisfaction of the judges that the defen dant had the means is pay the debt and refused to do so. His hon. and learned friend, in the month of March last year, evidently with a view to thismeasure, issued a circular letter to the judges, asking whether this power of commit ment should be abolished or modified in any way : 57 out of 60 of the judges, replying to that circular letter, were of opinion that this power ought to be retained. Under the old law the imprisonment of a debtor was the act of the cre ditor; at present imprisonment was the act of the judge for disobedience of the law. A debtor was formerly imprisoned whether he had the means to pay or not ; the power of com mitment under the existing system could only be exercised where a debtor had the means to pay and refused, or where ho was fraudulent, reckless, or dishonest. Out of 900,000 plaints, representing a sum of £2,000,030, issued in one year, more than one-half were settled before judgment. About 400,000 judgments were issued for an amount of upwards of £1,000,000, and costs upwards of £lO,OOO. From these there were about 9,000 commitments; but as it appeared that one-third of this number paid before imprisonment, only 6,000 persons, or la per cent. on the 400,000 judgments, were actually imprisoned. With respect to commitments for small sums, their lordships should be acquainted w ith the circumstances of each case, and should bear in mind that it was only wh en a d e bt or p ossess i n g the means reiused to pay that. he could be committa. The noble and learned lord declined to admit that county court judges always looked at such cases from a creditor's point of view, and expressed his belief that the Lord Chan cellor, in introducing the measure, had scarcely done justice to the county court judges. He went on t o quo t e f rom t h e reports of the county court judges to show th a t, th oug h they regarded the power of commitment on judgment sum monses as the most irksome and disagreeable portion of their duty, they nevertheless considered it essential, and that to abolish it would be most injurious to the just in terests of suitors. He did not believe that any alteration in the law was necessary in order to meet the cases quoted by the Lord Chancellor. For instance, no judge who knew his duty would commit the debtor in such cases where a t a llynian obtained a summons aga i ns t a f a ther for goods supplied without his knowledge or consent to his daughter, or against a husband for useless finery supp li e d under s imilar circumstances to his wife. Th e bill appeare d to be specially directe d against tallymen, and to prevent what the noble lord called the dangerous a n d m i sch i evous f ac ility of credit which was given to the labouring classes. He (Lord Chelmsford) ex p ressed his belief that i n man y districts the services o f those tallymen were absolutely essential to provide the wives and children of cotta ears with sufficient clothing, and that any abuse of the system was prevented by county cour t judges invariably re f using to make the husband liable for any goods supplied to the wife which were not absolutely necessary. It appeared to be assumed that if the power of commitment were taken away from the county court judges credit would not be given. He pointed out that, if this were done, the only security which labouring men could offer to their creditors would be taken away, and they would be deprived of credit, which in innumerable cases was positively necessary; and showed how injuriously it would affect also the class of small shopkeepers, many of whom w ould be driven t o th e par i s h . I t was proposed by the bill that in lieu of the power of commitment there should be power of execution against the goods of the debtor for amounts over It. But that would not meet the eve in which the present power of commitment was peculiaily efficacious, namely, where the debtor lived in furnished lodgings and had ample means to p a y hi s creditors, but from o b s tinacy, or from the desire to indulge his sensual tastes, did not do so. I n such cases, taking away th e judgment summons would remove the o nl y means by which the credi tor could compel his debtor to be honest, and the result would be that county courts would be useful for ascertain ing debts, but of no use for enforcing them. It was pro posed by the secood section of the !sill to reduce the period of limitation for bringing actions under £2O, That principle, he thought, might be made general with advan tage, but he could not understand upon what principle a dis tinction was made between debts under and debts over £2O. He could not understand upon what principle debts under £2O should only be recoverable for the space of one year after they were contracted, while debts above that amount would continue recoverable for six years. He thought it would be more advantageous to introduce an amenament for the Statute of Limitations, in regard only to the time within which all debts should be recoverable in courts of law. He condemned the clause for taking away the right of bringing actions for sums under £2O in the employment. After some observations from Lord WENSLEYDALE , the bill was read a second time. The Under-Secretaries' Indemnity Bill and the Common Law Procedure (Inland Act, 1863) Amendment Bill were severally read a third time and passed; and their lord ships adjourned, at five minutes to nine o'clock, until Thursday. HOUSE OF COMMONS--Last Evening. The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were read a third time and passed :—Alton, Alresford, and Winchester Rail way—Bodmin Railway—Bolton and Saint Helens Road--Cowes and Newport Railway—•Drogheda Water—Dublin, Wicklow, and Wexford Railway— Lverpool Central Station Railway—Llynvi Valley and Og moreValleyßAilway Companies—Manchester, Sheffiald,and Lincolnshire Railway—Metropolitan Railway (Notting Hill aad Brompton Extension)—Mistley, Thorpe, and Walton Railway,North British Railway (Abbey Holme and Leegate Branch)—Os .vestry and Newtown and other Railway Com panies (Amalgamation, &c.)-oswestry, Ellesmere, and Whitchurch Railway (No. 2) —Portpatrick Railway (Steam - boats)—Rioblesdale Railway—Solway Junction Railway— Southampton and Netley Railway—Stockport and Ashton Roads—Tamar, Kit Hill, and Callington Railway—Ten dring Hundred Railway—Wisbech Water—and Zetland Roads. ENDOWED SCHOOLS. Mr. ADDERLEY asked the Vice• President of the Com mittee of Council on Education what day the Government would give him for his motion on endowed schools, the re turn having been presented May 12th, the necessity of wai.ing for which was their sole alleged ground for asking him to postpone that motion from Nay 10th, on which day that motion was to come on. Mr BRUCE said that Thursday week next would be given for tho discussion of this important subject, if it would meet the views of the hon. member. Mr ADDERLEY said that he was satisfied with the arrangement proposed by the right hon. gentleman. RECIPROCITY TREATY WITH THE UNITED STATES. Mr WATKIN asked tins Under Secretary of State for Foreign AffAirs to state the present position of negotiations with the Government of the United States, iu reference to the proposed termination or repeal by the United States of the Reciprocity Treaty and of the Bonding Act, under which instruments facilities for mutual com mercial interchange have been afforded, and a large and increasing trade has grown up with the colonies of British North America. _ . Mr. LA.YARD said that there were no negotiations pending on the subject. TRIAL OF BRITISH SUBJECTS IN CHINA. Colonel SYKES asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs under what rule, ordinance, or law British subjects in China are subject to trial in the consular courts for breaches of neutrality in the present civil war in China ? Mr. LAYARD said he was not in a position to furnish any information on the subject. THE COURT MARTIAL ON MR. PURVEYOR'S CLERK PRING. Sir E, GROGAN asked the Under Secretary of State. for War when the decision of the court martial, which in February last tried the charges preferred against Mr. Pur veyor's Clerk Pring, would be promulgated, and why it had been so long delayed. Mr. HEADLAM said that the question was under con sideration of the authorities at the Horse Guards, COURT OF CHANCERY (IRELAND) BILL. In reply to Mr. IV HrrEsiur, Sir R. PEEL said he would consent to the postpone ment of the second reading of hia bill, which stood on the paper for this evening. TRANSPORTATION OF IRISH CONVICTS. Captain STACPOOLE asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland why the long•senterced convicts in Ireland, from seven years and upwards, were not sent to Western Austra lia in the same manner as the long-sentenced English convicts ? Sir R. PEEL said that Government had considered it advisable to discontinue sending convicts to Australia or any other penal settlement, as transportation was at • tended with expense and was objectionable on other grounds. THE RESEARCH. Sir J. HAY asked the Secretary to the Admiralty, if he would state to the house whether the arrangement in the Research, contrived by Mr Reed for carrying heavy ordnance was satisfactory, or whether the explosion had not been found v er y destructive to the ship herself. Lord C. PAGET said that there was no doubt there was some crockery broken in the experiments that had taken place on board the Research, and there were some other njuries inflicted on the vessel, but these circumstances were attributable to the want of the necessary preparations h av i n g been made for the experiments. Sir J. ELF HINSTONE said that this was a question of ton much importance to be dismissed in a cursorymanner. He contended that, from information ho had received from an officer it was clear the vessel had become unseaworthy. He thought this was a question which the house ought to take up. (Hear, hear.) Lord C. PAGET said that the statement of the hon. baronet was very much exaggerated, and the information he received was one-sided, and he beli eve d t h at t h ere was no material accident inflicted in the course of the ex periments that had been made in reference to the vessel in question. Sir F. SMITH said it appeared that in regard to this vessel there had been neglect somewhere. THE ENTERPRISE. In reply to Mr DILLWYN, Lord C. PAGET said that this vessel, instead of drawing a foot more than was expected, drew an inch less. ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE. Lord PALMERSTON moved that the house at its rising should adjourn to Thursday next, to-morrow being the Queen's birth day, and the day after the Derby day, when hon. members would be better pleased to be elsewhere than in the house. (Laughter.) TIIE ARMISTICE. Mr WHITESIDE asked the noble lord at the head of the Government to supply the house with some accurate information in reference to the decision which had been come to by the Prussian Government relative to the forced levies in Jutland. Mr. LAYARD said that on Friday last, after he had been asked a similar question, information from the Prussian Ambassador had been received by tele gram, to the eff,:et that in future there would be *►o forced contributions for provisions in Jutland, but any that was required should be paid for by the sol diery. Lord J. MANNERS: Has the Government received any information that the orders issued on the 11th have been since ()be) ed ? *Mr. LAYARD: We are waiting for information upon the point. All I can say is, that we have received a dis- superior courts. In conclusion, the noble lord expressed the opinion that it would be more prudent to wi•hdraw altogether froth the bill those clauses which related to the depriving county court judges of the power of imprison- men.. Lord LYVEDEN supported the second reading of the bill, on the ground that the present system of retail credit lay at the root of all the distress of the labouring classes. Lord CRANWORTH approved of the provisions for abolishing the power of imprisonment. Credit was very important in the mercantile world, and even in transac tions between retail dealers ; but what imaginable advan tage could arise from erodit amongst the ;poorer classes? (Hear, hear.) He agreed with every word which the county court judges had said about imprisonment, for if sums of or £2 were to be recoverable at all, surely the present machinery was well calculated to effect that object ; but we ought to push the inquiry further, and consider the advisability of making small debts wholly irrecoverable by legal means. The LORD CHANCELLOR said it was a matter of regret that a subject like the present, which was a social question with which all their lordships were competent to deal, should have attracted so few members to that house. (There were about eight peers present at this time,) He must say, with the greatest possible respect, that if they went on neglecting to take an interest in such subjects they would not long retain the high position which they had hitherto held in the public estimation. He believed that the system of credit which had grown up in this country was a very great social evil, and held out a constant temp tation to the labouring classes to live beyond their means. He asked their lordships to consider the consequences of making a man acquainted with the interior of a gaol, whence he went again into the world degraded in his own estima tion and in the estimation of his friends, When a creditcr wished to imprison his debtor, he (the Lord Chancellor) would like to ask him under what circumstances he gave the credit. Another argument in favour of the bill was, that it placed the poor debtor upon the same footing as the large debtor, with respect to whom the power of punishment had been abolished, except in cases of fraud. He had that morn ing received a letter from a tallyman, who said he was owed thousands of pounds, stating that he was in favour of aboli tion of imprisonment for debt, but advocating the retention of the clause which attached the future earninge of debtors. The noble lord then read an extract from a communication to the Solicitors' Journal of this week,showing how oppres sively the tally system had worked in the county court dis trict of Camberwell, and quoted the declaration of the judge of another county court, that his court was the head col. lector of the small tradesmen. The noble lord concluded by observing that, if it was proper that the man who gave credit should have the right, under all circumstances, to put his debtor into prison, he had nothing to say for the bill. But as he entirely disputed the right of the man who gave credit wantonly to inflict upon society the further injury of requiring it to furnish him with the means of keeping his debtor in prison, he commended the bill to their lordships, asking. Was it moral, was it expedient, that such a thing should be permitted ? (Hear, hear.) The Earl of DERBY pointed out that the bill would deprive creditors of the means of enforcing payment from a class of debtors who had the means of payment, and who did not deny their debt, but who would rely upon the state of the law to avoid the fulfillment of their just obligations. The power of attaching the earnings of labouring men must result in many a poor man being dismissed from his tinct assurance from the Prussian Government that no forced contribution should be raised after the 11th, Mr. 'WHITESIDE : My question has not been an swered, I have asked what the terms of the armistice were, Mr. LAYARD: It was undoubtedly agreed that no forced contribution should be made after the 11th. Mr WHITESIDE—Is that instrument in writing, and will it be laid upon the table that we may endeavour to understand it ? Mr D. GRIFFITH, whose rising was the signal for laughter, said the question of the right hon. gentleman was addressed to a higher authority than the hon. member. It was addressed to the noble lord at the head of the Govern ment, whom they all rejoiced to see once more amongst them fulfilling his high functions. There was a certain ambiguity in the answer of the hon. member, and therefore he desired to ask in what coin the provisions taken for the Prussian troops would be paid for. Lord PALMERSTON—I thought it better that my hon. friend the Under Secretary of State would answer the ques tion of the right hon. gentleman, because it referred to matters (1 departmental detail with which he is necessarily better acquainted than I could be. With regard to the question now put my hon. friend has stated the armistice distinctly provided that no contribution should be levied after the signature of the armistice, and that all things re quired and had by the Prussian and Austrian troops should be paid for to the people who delivered them. Well, I am asked whether that engagement has been fulfilled. My hon. friend has stated that Count Bismarck, the Prussian Minis ter. has assured her Majesty's Government that it will be fulfilled, and we cannot take upon ourselves to doubt that the Prussian Government has the power of compelling its local officers to obey the orders issued in pursuance of inter national engagements. The hon. member asks me how payments are to be made by the Prussian authorities, but that is a question beyond my'power to answer. The en gagement is that payment shall be made, but with regard to the mode of payment, that is a matter which depends upon the arrangements entered into by the Prussian Go vernment. The motion for adjournment was then agreed to. The Vacating of Seats (House of Commons), the Array Prize (Shares of Deceased), and the Beer-houses (Ireland) Bills were read a second time. The Pier and Harbour Orders Confirmation Bill was re ferred to a select committee. The Limited Penalties, the Chain Cables and Anchors, and the Chief Rents (Ireland) Bills were passed through committee. In committee of the whole house, on the motion of Sir J. HAT, the Chairman was directed to move the house that leave be given to bring in a bill to authorise the Governor and Company of the Bank of England to issue their notes in Scotland, and to make such notes a legal tender there, which they were not at present in any place north of the Tweed. Subsequently leave was given to introduce the A resolution was also agreed to in committee of the whole house, on the motion of the CIIINCELLOR of the Excur , - QUER, that it was expedient to enable certain banking co partnerships, which may discontinue the issue of their own bank-notes, to sue and be mei by their public officer. Leave was given to Si: 11. Butcn to bring in a bill to alter the days for shooting game in Ireland, by assimilating the law to that of England and Scotland. The select committee on the Patent-office library and museum were nominated ; and at 20 minutes to 7 o'clock the house adjourned until Thursday, THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA, (From the Times Correspondent.) NEW YORK, May 10 The bold as well as complicated movement agains Richmond which Gen. Grant, srurred by the impa tience both of the Government and the people, has undertaken occupies all men's thoughts. It is now seven days since the order to cross the Rapidan was given, and though several bloody battles have been fought and thousands have been killed and tens of thousands wounded, the decisive struggle has not yet commenced. There has been much less boasting on this occasion than usual. Gen. Grant is a silent soldier, and allows his deeds to tell their own story after their accomplishment, and stands in favourable contrast in this respect with the Popes, the Burn sides, and the Hookers. Nor has the press, with one vile exception, which not to name is sufficient to designate,been less sensible and reticent. Though nearly all the journals believe that Grant has done so well that victory must ultimately, though not perhaps until after many a sanguinary contest, re ward his efforts, they know from past experience how uncertain are all the issues of battle, and how apparently small .a thing, or a circumstance totally unsuspected, may even at the 59th minute of the 11th hour reverse the fortune of war, and convert what looked like victory into defeat and humilia tion. The same temper prevails among the people. They have been too often deceived to trust much to appearances, and wait the results of Grant's movements without fear, but certainly without undue elation. The speculators and the pohti clans (and it should be borne in mind by English readers that a politician in America is a man who makes a trade of politics and depends for his daily bread or his future prospects upon the success of his party) are more excited. The speculators, like other gamblers, to whom a battle is no more than a pugilistic contest, or a race, or any other larger or smaller event which by the uncertainty of its issues offers an opportunity for staking a sum of money upon a chance, are not all on the patriotic side. If they were, how conld their operations be carried on ? Some believe in Grant, and some in Lee. Some base their calculations upon the capture of Richmond, and some on that of Washington. Some demand that paper shall rise to a par with gold, and others fear that they shall be ruined if gold do not rise to a premium of a hundred. The politicians, though more remotely interested, are not less keetly susceptible. If Grant achieve what Scott, Mellewell, M'Clellan, Meade, and the three smaller lights failed to accomplish, nothing can pre vent him from becoming President of the United States, except his own unqualified and peremptory refusal to accept the honour. As it is not in Ameri can human nature to believe such remarkable abne gation to be either possible or probable, Grant is already considered President by that large propor tion of the people who think that Northern wealth and numbers must in the long run be more than a match for Southern patriotism. The only question which remains in their minds is, who shall be Vice- President in the new regime? Some are for Batter, some for Fremont, and some for M'Clellan, the pre ponderance of sentiment and of judgment being decidedly in favour of the latter. It is natural that at such a time all sorts of rumours should be circulated. Credulity, self interest, and that prolific parent of lying, the wish that is father to the thought, combine with the self-importance that sometimes invests and still oftener exaggerates news to lengthen the tongues of the idle and to keep the ears of the multitude upon the stretch for the "latest intelligence." It serves no real purpose to repeat these lies, unless it may be thought that such voices out of the crowd show the crowd's temper, and may therefore help to a truer understanding of the varying aspects of the day than might otherwise be attainable. Thus it is asserted that Butler has entered Richmond as a conqueror, that Lee has died the hero's death upon the field of battle, covered with innumerable wounds ; that Grant has met the same splendid fate; that the Confederate army has thrown down its arms and fled like a cowed and discomfited rabble ; that the Southern President and his Cabinet have escaped to Montgomery, Alabama, and other figments born of gobemoucherie; or, perhaps, pushed into existence by some too clever Secessionist, to throw discredit upon the whole brood of rumours that every hour brings forth. The real facts, as far as they can be gathered from documentary evidence and from the reports of eye-witnesses, appear to extend to no later date than Saturday evening. On Wednesday General Meade passed the Rapidan without opposition. On Thursday the Army of the Potomac was assailed by General Lee in great force, the object being to crush the advancing columns before they were in position, or within sup porting distance of each other. The shock was so severe and the issue so doubtful that the reserves under Burnside had to be ordered up. They arrived in time, and saved the fortune of the day. The number of killed and wounded on the Federal side amounted, according to Federal authority, to up wardswea ground, sd t ofh of t near artillery Oar and in s O n t 1 ei Oa v was brought hof erethef o into ookr p emr l e a ryl lost battle field e e . day, and his reputation along with it, wan so thickly wooded that cannon could not be used on either side, and the conflict was hand to hand, with the bayonet or the rifle. How stubborn it m ust have been is evident from the number of the killed e nd wounded, which, if at all balanced on the Con federate side, would not fall short of 16,000. The battle, like that of the subsequent day, was fought in a place called the " Wilderness." Both sides claim the victory, General Lee on behalf of the Confederates, and Mr. Stanton on behalf of the Federals, for General Grant himself either sent no despatch or it has been suppressed. As hitherto General Lee has never been known either to exag gerate a victory or to claim one if he had not achieved it, and as the same cannot be said of Mr. Stanton, the probability is that the advantage rested with the Confederates. The fighting was renewed on Friday at daybreak. The battle raged for 14 hours with scarcely an interval of rest, still in the thickly wooded, stubbly, and thorny region stretch ing from Caancellorsville to Mine Run. The car nage is described to have been more awful than in any previous battle of the war, and to have been attended with a loss of 12,000 men to the Federals and as many to the Confederates. General Lee, in an address to his army which found its way to the possession of General Batter, and was by him for warded to Mr. Stanton, claims the victory on this, the second, encounter, and thanks a merciful God that every advance on Grant's part had been gal lantly and successfully repulsed. if Mr. Stan ton, who has promised to publish all authentic in telligence immediately it reaches the hands of the Administration, had,instead of garbling and quoting from General Lee's proclamation, sent the whole document to the press, he would have enabled the public to judge far better than it can now of the of fF m rl i d ss a i y on that General 's fighting. It appears from true Gen suerraelLee' s ad severely a s Longstreet— who is almost as much beloved and confid ed in b y the General Stonewall Jackson us ut ed S t o ob h e e — rn army was wounded, and Gen. Jen kins killed. On the Federal side Gen. Wadsworth , f or merly the military commandant at Washington, and competitor with Mr. Horatio Seymour, in the autumn of 1662, for the Governorship of the State of New York, was shot in the forehead while lead ing his division, and instantaneously slain, and Gen. - Webb, son a the United States Minister in Brazil, was seriously wounded. Mr. Stanton, who alone makes any official statement of these and the previ ous battles, General Grant being either too busy to write despatches or too cautious to become the his torian of his unfinished work, reports to Major- General Dix, for the information of the people of New York," that the general result of the battle of Friday may be considered as a success to our arms," and adds that "the fighting was the most desperate known in modern times." The Tribune correspon dent and other eyeswitnetsts do not claim as much success as Mr. Stanton, but state that the contest was indecisive. On Saturday morning there was slight skirmishing, but no general engagement; both sides, doubtless, discovered that such a tangled wild wood as that in which they had been murder ing each other from behind the shelter of trees and bushes for the previous two days was not adapted to victory, or to anything else but unavailing slaughter. At noon on that day it was discovered that the Confederates had retired, and Mr. Stanton publisher, on the authority of a bearer of despatches from Meade's army, that the retrograde movement commenced on the midnight of Friday. It was no sooner known to the Federals than a pursuit was ordered. Lee fell back towards the strong lines of the North Anna, and was followed—it does not ap pear how closely—by the division uneer General Hancock, no doubt glad to halloo when out of such a wood as " the Wilderness." What has since happened is unknow n or undivulged as Lee retired in good order, unmolested, and at his leisure, towards his own earth works and his chosen position on the North Anna, it is more than pre sumptions in the Federal Government to cry "Vic tory," to think that its work is done, that the Con federate General is really defeated , or that tle is even reduced to the extremity of taking refuge in Richmond without fighting one, or, it may be, a dozen battles on the intervening ground. Mr. Lin coln, carried away by the excitement of Washing ton, and thankful, perhaps, that Washington has not been taken as an equivalent for Richmond—a turn of the wheel of fortune—which was certainly possible, and not many days ago looked highly probable, has issued a proclamation to tha " friends of Union and of Liberty, in view of the great victory" which he cannot allege to have been secured. He states that enough is known of what has been done to claim the special gratitude of the people to Almighty Gad, and enough remains undone to demand their most serious pray( re to and reliance upon Him, without whom all human effort is vain ; and therefore recommends all patriots at their homes, their places of public worship, and wherever they may be, to unite in common thanksgiving and prayer. Yesterday, Monday morning, a despatch from General Grant —the first received—was partially communicated to the public by Mr. Stanton, before he had time to decipher the whole of it. Whether there was more in it than Mr. Stanton chose to divulge is not known ; but all that he has as yet permitted to appear is that the General is " On to Richmond," and that ha has taken 2,000 prisoners. A later report, brought by a messenger from Acquia Creek, states that a battle occurred on Monday at Spot sylvania Court-house with the rear of Lee's army, in which there was great slaughter on both sides. He also reports that the streets of Fredericksburg were encumbered with the Federal wounded to the estimated number of 15,000, and that they lay on the public way for want of other accommo dation. Here, for the present, all intel li g ence, au th e ntic or unauthentic, ceases of the fat e or p lans of the main army ; while an intimation—more or less offi c ial -- from Washington warns th e too im patient people that it may be a week before they receive any further information. Why such an announcement should be made, unless there is bad news, of which it is desired to break the ill-effect by dexterous manipulation is Mr. Stanton's office, sur passes comprehension. At all events, an unfa vourable interpretation has been put upon it—that if the announcement be unofficial, it will be disa vowed. If the members of the Government have good news they will not conceal the glory of it under a bushel, but will flare its light in the face of the public as vigorously as they can and at as early a moment as the electric telegraph and the printing press will permit. General Butler has gained his first laurels as a warrior by the occupation of a strong position ten miles in the rear of Richmond and by his destruction of a portion of the railroad communications between that city and Petersburg. H e was, h o wever, nearly captured by a sudden dash made upon him by a di vision sent out from Petersburg on Saturday last by General Beauregard for that especial purpose, and may congratulate himself on an escape which, in his case, was not from captivity alene, but from the mode of death which by his orders was inflicted upon the unhappy man Mumford at New Orleans. But ler acts under the orders of General W.F. (or Baldy) Smith, and seems to b e in a position of consider able danger, although his friends and admirers in this city do not cease to assert that for him is re served the honour of capturing Richmond, and of afterwards governing it with a rod of iron or of scorpions, such as he loves to wield over the heads and backs of the defenceless. eneral Beauregard however, has his eye upon him; G and may hereafter be able to give an accou nt of him that maybe much more acceptable for the Southern President to re ceive than for the Nort hern to be informed of. In a despatch to the Secretary ?f War, which reminds people more of Genera ls Pope and Hooker than of Grant and M'Clellan, he states that he is safely in trenched at Bermuda, landing on the James River, and that with prope r supplies he can hold out against the whole of Lee's army. He adds that Lieut.-General Grant will not be troubled with any further reinforcements from Gen. Beauregard to Gen. Lee. In this, however, he protests too much, and sets an example of boasting as well as of pro phesy which a good soldier ought to avoid. General Sherman's movements in the West are unintelligible as reported by the telegraphic opera tors. It is clear, however, that his army is on the move, and that events in that region will be as im portant before many days elapse as those in Vir ginia. The excitement produced by the war news has almost wholly put an end to business. Nobody either buys or sells gold or any other merchandise, and gold, perheps for that reason, and not certainly from any faith entertained in Wall-street or Wil liam-street that Grant has gained a victory, has fallen since last night from 68 . -1 to 671 per cant. Royal Agric of England, The general meeting of the members of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, was held yester day, at the Club-house, 12, Hanover-cquare; Lord Feversham, president, in the chair. There were also present Lord Portman, Lord Walsingham, Earl Cathcart, Lord Chesham, Sir Henry Vavasour, Messrs. T. Sutton Western, M.P., S. Dent, M.P., Dr. Voelcker, W. H. Pole Carew, Professor Wilson, Fisher Hobbs, Corbett, &c. Mr. H. DARE read the following :—" The council have the gratification of announcing that since the last general meeting in December his Royal High ness the Prince of Wales has allowed his name to be enrolled is the list of your governors. Daring the past five months the names of five governors and 136 members have been removed from the list by death and retirement, while one governor and 232 members have been elected, so that the society now consists of 78 life governors, 45 annual governors, 1,343 life members, 4,013 annual members, and 17 honorary members, making a total of 5,496, being an increase of 53 names. The council have elected Major-General the Hon. Alexander Nelson Hood as a vice-president, in the room of Lord Ashburton, deceased. The half-yearly statement of accounts to the 31st of December, 1863, has been examined and approved by the auditors and accountants of the so ciety, and together with the balance-sheet for the whole year, 1863, and a statement of the country meeting account for WOrcester, has been published in the last number of the journal. The funded ca• pital stands at £16,480 17s. 10d. in the New Three per Cents., £3,000 has been placed on deposit at interest with the society's bankers, and the current cash balance in their hands on the:lst inst. was £2,836 63. 61 Papers have been read at the weekly meetings by Mr. Lawes, on ' Salt used as . a Manure ;' by Mr. Hughes, on The Cultivation and Management of Clay Farms;' by Mr. Holland, M.P., on Agricultural Education;' and by Professor Voelcker, on Nutrition of Plants by the Atmosphere.' A committee has been appointed to consider the measures which ought to be taken for the improvement of the education of those who depend upon the cultivation of the soil for their support, this being declared by the charter as the seventh national object to be pro secuted by the society. The Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury having applied to the society for assistance in carrying out their design of presenting some sheep to the Viceroy of Egypt, who is anxious to improve his native breeds by crossing, a selection was made under the direction of the President; and a communication has been received of the safe arrival of the sheep at Cair . A special committee having been appointed to co a eider the question of the dates of calving, the coun cil have approved their recommendation that any alteration in the date of calving would be incon venient and thus unadvisablo. The arrangements for the Newcastle meeting, to be held during the week commencing Monday, the 18th of July, are proceeding satisfactorily. The showyard will be open as under ;—Monday, 108. ; Tuesday, 2s. 6th ; Wednesday, 2s. 63. ; Thursday, is. ; Friday, ls. The council have determined that the annual coun try meeting in 1865 shall be held at Plymouth. The district for the country meeting of 1866 will include the counties of Cambridgshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Huntingdonshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk. The report having been adopted, Lord PORTMAN, in proposing Sir Edward Kerri son , M.P., as the President of the society for the ensuing year, observed that members of the Upper House of the Legislature had generally filled that office, but looking at the admirable manner in which the present Speaker of the House of Commons had presided over them, it was a good omen that an other gentleman from that House, and one so well 'nuld be called upon to fill the office. - Toms seconded the nomination, known, Su,- Mr FISHER which was carried uanitnee nd council having The trustees, vice-presidents, a... been duly elected. The noble CHAIRMAN said the council woula ' be very glad to hear any suggestions from the members. Mr DENT, M.P., took leave to point out that an iecreme in tLe number of judges would be advisable at the forthcoming show, especially in the clasees of Lincoln end Scotch sheep. Mr FISHER HOBBS observed that the council had only a very limited number of names before them, and it certainly would be very advantageous that the number of judges should be increased. Perhaps gentlemen would be kind enough to rend in the names of those who were qualified, and who would serve, the first of June being the time at wLich the lists would have have to be made up. Mr BEAL BROWNE thanked the council for the regulations which they had introduced as to sheep being shorn before being shown, so that now the judges could really see the quality of the sheep, and the best would obtain the prize. A vote of thanks having been proposed to Lord Feverebam for his able presidency during the year, the noble lord, in acknowledging the compliment, remarked that the council had not been unmind ful of the observations that fell from some of the members at the half-yearly meeting in December last. The strictures that had been passed upon the conduct of the journal of the society and the ob jections made had not been supported by any one except the gentleman (Mr. Sidney) who cavilled at it; and with reference to his opinion that the society should spend their funded capital in erect ing a larger building than their present house, and form a library of reference, a laboratory, a museum, and other works, the council had not thought it advisable to entertain the question, which would involve not ohly the expenditure of all their capi tal, but in all probability a much larger sum with out the prospect of any corresponding benefit. The remark made by Mr. Beckett, that the society had failed to carry into effect the seventh article of the charter, which bound them " to take measures for the improvement of the education of those who depend upon the cultivation of the soil for their support," had been seriously considered by the council, and a committee had been appointed upon the subject, but their report had not yat been pre pared. His lordship hoped that the society would continue to progress in sound practical enlighten ment of the agricultural interest of the country, the principle of its organisation, and the practice of science. The meeting then terminated. , ~iely. all through Tuesday, the battle raged with little in termission but what the darkness of night and phy sical exhaustion imposed upon the combatants. Still, however, there was no decisive results. When the last despatches left the field Lee retained his position, and was said to have been reinforced, while the aggregate losses of the Federals up to the evening of Tuesday were reckoned, in killed, wounded, and missing, 40,000 men. At this cries tical point we are left to wait in suspense for fresh intelligence. Never did American mails bring in formation more important than may been looked for by the next arrival. Will Grant still advance, and drive Lee within the lines of Richmond, or will he fall back exhausted with his efforts, and admit the I enterprise to be as impracticable to himself as it has proved to others before him? It is hard to discern any inclination of the balance, so evenly on the scales appear to be weighed. On the side of the North it must be owned that the expectations enter tained of Grant's prowess have received more confir mation than has usually attended the sanguine cal culations of the Federals. If he has not achieved ab solute success, he has bid for it more desperately and approached it more nearly than any of his pre decessors in command. He has fully justified his reputation for dogged and unconquerable tena city. After once breaking up from his camp he has marched straight on incessantly closing with his adversary, always offering battle, never declining it, undismayed by losses, undeterred by the most im minent danger. For the first time in the history of this war, a great battle has been followed by an im mediate pursuit, bringing on another battle equally obstinate and bloody. Grant, though slightly worsted in the actions of the 6th, refused to quit his hold upon the enemy, or to plead any of the obvious excuses for suspending the operations of the cam paign. It was this stubborness of purpose which gained him his success at Vicksburg and his favour with the Northern people. They never thought him a military genius, but they believed him to be a most determined man—a man who would bring everything to the immediate issue of hard fighting, and who might either beat or be beaten, but who would never be hesitating or inactive. This estimate of his character he has fully justified. He has fought unceasingly, and has clung like a bulldog to his work. Nor can it be added that he has fought altogether in vain, for ho has advanced as he pro posed to advance, and is actually a few miles further on the road to Richmond. On the other hand, it now appears beyond all doubt that the successive retirements of the Confederate commander were but so many judicious and preconcerted operations of the campaign. He fell back from the Rapidan with out troubling himself to strike a blow. He fellback again from his second position at Wilderness, though he is admitted to have had the best of the encounter ; and the impregnability of his third position, at Spottsylvania, has fully justified his decision. In none of these movements was there the slightest confusion or other evidence of inferiority. 'The game could be better played at one point than another, and the advantage was not allowed to escape, The whole road to Richmond, be it re membered, is a series of positions which have long been studied and strengthened by the Confederates, terminating in a capital fortified by all the defences which modern art could devise through a period of three years. Lee, if he falls back, is only falling back from one strong post to another, till he finds himself in the strongest post of all. Grant, if he falls back ever so little, gives up the game, while it he persists in advancing he discovers harder work than ever before him at the end of each day's march, and separates himself from his supplies in the same proportion. Already, we are told, he has found his communications intercepted by the Confederate cavalry, and been compelled to change the base of his supplies ; and it is intimated, indeed, that the action of the 10th was not sought by him, and that he had intended to postpone it for a few hours until his supplies had come up. We have purposely de clined to complicate our survey of these important operations by the reports of any subsidiary pro. ceedings, but the reader will probably remember that this famous expedition against Richmond was to consist of advances from several directions all combined in one plan. Such combinations usually require for their success the co-operation of veteran troops and skilful Generals under the direction of a master mind, and these conditions can hardly be thought to exist in the case before us. Part of the scheme, indeed, was frustrated by the recent vic tories of the Confederates in North Carolina, and it seems now as if the only important diversion would be attempted by the advance of General Butler upon Richmond aloag the line of the James River. But ler, who has always threatened that he—the out -1 lawed of the Confederacy—would be the first to enter their capital, is, if he has advanced to City oint, nearer Richmond than Grant; but there is a many ~ had mile between him and the city ; he is ed .by General Beauregard, and the closely obse. 7 that apprehenstons were enter. latest advises state' mined fur his safety. As to more remote points, the Confederates were ret.,:‘ thing and improving their advantages in Mississippi, were holding their own in Tennessee, and had bee n eucca'ssi ul in some na val encounters both in the James River and Albemarle Sound. Finally, in concluding Cur thr sey, we must remark that the intelligence on wr,ch we have based our speculations reaches us mainly through Federal sources, and is, perhaps, coloured somewhat favourably for the North. That com pletes the case for the judg ment or divination of the public. It seems to perplex the minds of people in America. TE e proclamations of President Lin coln and the bulletins of Secretary Stanton speak of Federal successes, but in terms so moderate and language so qualified as to exprsss anything tether than confidence ; while the premium on gold, which was 73 when Grant began his march, and which fell to 69 at one period, had risen to 77 at the latest news, and was 75 at the departure of the mail. Undoubtedly Grant is in a more difficult situation than Lee, for if he falls back, which, if he cannot dislodge his adversary, he must do, it will be under disadvantage, and if ne advances either by force or upon the retirement of the Confederates, it will be under disadvantage still. But he is invincibly obstinate, he has uncontrolled command, he has exacted the unreserved !support of the Government, and he has seen the Southern General retire before him. He will, perhaps, renew his attack upon Lee, but if he ever reaches Richmond with an effective army he will have achieved a miracle of military success. . , HERALD.—There is nothing lihe a practical an. sever. Lord Palmerston formally condemned genera theories on Friday night in the debate on our rela. tions with China. He had ready one of those matter of-fact rejoinders which dumbfound ordinary people. "We must defend our treaty rights. We must pro. tect our commerce." Of course we must. But Mr Baxter, a merchant trading with China, and, it is understood, the general body in the same interest, are of opinion that Government is going the very worst way to secure the prosperity of our Chinese trade. And as to the t;Paty rights, the despatches of Sir Frederick Bruce, on: own Minister at the Court of Pekin, are sufficient ,4.51 dispose of that question. This competent authority. has emphati cally condemned the policy Lord Pehuer,:on is pu le. suing in regard to China. The wit nesses we have cited cannot be considered unfriendly to the Cabin' t• If rumour speaks correctly the hon. member for Montrose was offered a subordinate, but not unim portant, position in the Ministry on the retirement of Mr Stansfeld. And as to our ambassador to the Celestial Emperor, official duty and diplomatic skill both prompt to acquiescence and approval where the conduct of the Government is not flagrantly iuconsistent and unpatriotic. The question arises, why should we interfere at all ? This may be a general objection, but it is one capable of local application. The Impe rial p ower of China is not only barbarous ; it is notoriously cruel. The dynasty is at the last stage of decline. No foreign aid can sustain it much longer. Even the most despotic rule, to last, must have the heart of the people, and it is well known that the Government of Prince Kung is most unpopular. In fact the Taeping rebellion is the general uprising of the people—not well con ducted indeed, and in this akin to most revolutions, but at the same time founded on a universal detes tation of the reigning authority, and, tnoreovcr, con firmed by a very remarkable career of suocess. The set policy of this country is neutrality. We have maintained the doctrine of non-intervention in an astounding manner in regard to the belligerent states of America and in the Dano-German war. We adhered to it in the Polish outbreak, and it was our boast during the revolutionary changes in Italy. It is true much of this impartial dealing was only a hollow pretence: We were never strictly neutral, and, perhaps, it may be difficult for any Government, in the face of the leanings of the people, to be stoically indifferent to great public ques tions. But our Cabinet, or rather our foreign Minister, in opposition to the popular will and in clination in England, has sided with the Federal Americans against the Confederates, and has, by his weak confidence and wavering policy, effectually aided the cause of Prussia and Austria against Den. mark, However, it suits Lord Palmerston now to declare that occasions may arise when neutrality would be folly or cowardice, or both. We inter fered with Portugal, with Spain, with Turkey, Syria, and Egypt ; and another great occasion hav ing arisen for the interposition of the Deus ex machuza, we have inte rfered in China also. Of course, the gravest reasons for this exceptional intervention must have occurred. The Premier sums up his lofty argument under two seductive heads—our treaty rights and our commerce. W e are bound to defend the one and protect the other. But the British aegis must be used with moderation in both. A radius of thirty miles has been awn outside the treaty ports ; beyond this line drawn of _ demarcation the civic strife may rage with the most quiet un mitigated barbarity. Clu.: Ater of diplomatic is not to interfere. Such is the le , i n struction and agreement. But has been the ac tual practice ? For the last eighteet 2 m d ilths ., ° h r two years vie have steadily co-operas,% WI" ertars ~ the cruel and corrupt Mantchou I, We violated the principle of neutrality in the attack on Ningpo. The whole series of on. operations of late in China exhibits an utter die*. regard of the doctrine of noneinterfention , may be said we are at open and constant war with; the Taepings. The expedition of Capt. Osborn was a clear admission of this, although Sir F. lime; expressly objected to the employment of Britiste officers in the Imperialist service. This despatce,• which was written in June, 1863, about a twelve month ago, Mr. Baxter states, was suppressed by the Foreign Office, in order not to convict Ministers by the mouths of their own officers. We all know the fate of Capt. Sherard Osborn's enterprise. The , proferred aid was ignominiously rejected—and re jected, too, on just and reasonable grounds. One would imagine there was some commercial chum:, in Chinese affairs, which attracted our Government to lend its countenance and active support to a dynasty tottering to its fall. England will go great lengths to advance her trade, and this is the supreme argument urged in defence of our present Chinese policy. New, in order to consider the bearing of this view of the question, let us take the condition, of Soochow, the silk district. While the Taepings held possession the exports ranged from 60,000 bales to 83,000 bales per annum, but since we have taken possession these exports have fallen to within 40,000 bales. And this is not a solitary instance, but generally exemplifies the influence and results of our intermeddling in the internal affairs of the coun try against the advice of Sir F. Bruce and of other European Ministers in China, and against the ex press wish of those most interested in the prosperity of our commerce, viz., the merchants engaged in that special branch of trade. When the progress of our mercantile enterprise in those distant regions.; is spoken of it is as well to entertain definite , ideas on the subject. Now, the great pro , ducing districts of China had been in the hands , of the Taepings, and to them we were mainly . indebted, and not to the policy of her Majesty's Goveanment, for any commercial successes open to the energy and bold speculation of our great capitalists and merchants. We have done our utmost to destroy the Taepings, and to restore tbli sway of the Mantchou dynasty throughout the , whole empire. For this not only our treasure but our blood has been poured out freely, and this at a time when the doctrine of neutrality is upheld where common humanity and British honour would ssem to demand intervention. But we are told that the power of the rebels is waning and their reign. drawing to a close. Nothing can be farther from the truth. The successes of the Taepings have been , . very great of late, and the opinion of persons on the , spot is that Gordon himself is in danger of being cut off from the main force. The policy, then, of our Government ie not only calculated to impair our commerce but to endanger the very treaty righte. for which it has been adopted. Our policy is op posed to the express counsel of our own ambassador,. to the opinions of our naval and military comman ders, and to the interests and the judgment of our merchants who trade with China. Can any con demnation, we ask, be stronger than this ? But there is something more than what may be called a . m aterial censure. There is a moral stain attached to onr alliance with the Court of Pekin. The cruel ties and butcheries perpetrated by perfidious bar barians may well be laid at the door of civilised nee tions in connection with them. It may be, too, that we are doing our utmost to tread out some nascent sparks of Christianity appearing in that dreary' region. The Taepings profess a wild incoherent creed, but in many points it must be superior to the atheism and immoral Buddhism prevalent among the millions in China. If Sir James Graham wee night in warning the Rouse of Commons against beginning a war with one-third of the human race, that must be a shallow policy which would attempt to grapple with the religious opinions most likely' to sway throughout the vast empire. For so sure as the Taepings succeed their strange theology will mould itself into a form and become the general re ligion of China. These are questions which it mai be very well to speculate upon ; but to meddle with them actively, or to take either side in the inter necine struggle now going on between the Impe rialists and Taepings, can reflect no honour on the wisdom or the humanity of any civilised nation. COUNTRY MARKETS. COLCHESTER —MAT 21. We had a small show of wheat on offer at this market to-day, but sufficient for the demand. An inactive busi ness, and last week's prices declined is per qr. Beans and peas scarce, and fully is dearer. Wheat, white. 42s 46s Beans,llazagan..2Ss B 2 el red Barley 88 Oats NORTHAMPTON—Ii /a 21. There was a fair supply of wheat on offer for the time of the year. A quiet demand. The weather splendid. —White wheat n t w, 33s to 425; new red, 35s to 378 9 , old. 38s to 42s per qt.. Barley, new ma lting, 34s to 366---- grinding, 25s to Ns pet qr. Oats, Ns to 27s per 24 stone. Beans, 32s to 375. Peas,i32s to 36sIper GLOUCESTER --AIRY 21. There was a fair supply o f English wheat to-day froln the farmers, which sold slimly at prices slightly in favou r of buyers. Foreign wheat it ex t rem ely moderate dot:usual at a decline of is per qr. Noyphange in oats, beans) a n peas. CHELMSFORD—KAY 20. At this corn exchange to-day there was a fair 5110 1 .! wheat, and in the few sales made last week ' s rates were " per qr lower. In Spring corn a limite;l sale. 'SS Wheat, old.white...3os 45s Yeas, Pantridge 36s „id new old red....34s 378 Boiling . 3Bs ° I new 36s 40s Dun Barley 25s 33s Ditto new —s " ....6 Chevalier ..26s 36s Beans, Tick, old ..34s 36'1 Grinding . .20s 28s hm.. -0 ..-0 „g 1 Malt . 6ls 675 Harrow Ticks ..34s f...". Chevalier 64s 68s new • • -- S ,3$ Oats 20s 26s Mazagan ........235 '' KIRKCALDY GRAIN—MAY 21. lea We had a moderate quantity of wheat, oats, aud bar to-day. Sales slow. Wheat 6d to is decline. Barley 0 ." oats unchanged. Wheat. Barley. Oats. Fir5t....338 Od 25s 6d 16s Od Second ..35s Od 26s Od 17s Od Third....36s 6d I 288 Od 18s 6d COAL M. Prim of Coal per Ton at ,I{,KET. the close of the market. a, 14. s. d. Bates'sWest Hartley .. 14 9 Buddle'sWest Hartley 15 6 Lambert's West Hart- Walls End.. , 6 9_ Hartlepool ....... ..• . 9,1 Kelloe Braddyll' a Hetton .... •, 6 6 9_ East Hartlepool.... • .1/ I Hatton. ~6 Heugh ....... •. 16 South Kelloe. ....... 9 South Hartlepool.... • • . 15 0 Whitworth '.ll 3 Haswell ..... . • . 16 9 Russel's Hetton ..... .11 6 South Hetton ...... • ••• 16 6 Stewart's ........... :16 Tunstall . ......... • :et, 95; sold, 71. ley 15 3 Tanlield Moor Butes l4 0 Wylam 17 0 West Wylaai l6 6 Eden Main ..15 6 Byass's Bebside West Hartley ....15 6 Hastings Hartley ....16 6 SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. TIMES.—Our recent anticipations of an important campaign in Virginia have been confirmed by a sue cession of the most obstinate and sanguinary battles which have signalised even this age of war. From the 6:h to the 10th of the present month two great armies were incessantly engaged in conflicts so fierce as to surpass in carnage all former encouna tern on the same ground, and yet so .indecisive as to render it difficult to say at the present moment to which side the balance of success inclines. In the night of Tuesday, the 3d of May, General Grant, the Commander•in•Chief of the Federal armies commenced his iocg-expected march upon Richmond by the passage of the river Rapidan. This operation be was allowed to accomplish with out interruption. General Lee, at the head of the chief army of the Confederates, retired slowly before him, and took up a position a little further south. On the sth occurred some fighting, which in any other campaign would be described as a desperate combat, but which here shrinks into insignificance by the side of the conflicts which followed. It was not until the morning of Friday, the 6th, that Lee accepted the battle to which Grant was pressing him. Then the Federal Commander advanced and fell upon the entire front of the Confederate line with an onslaught as straight, as impetuous as that of Tilly on the Swedes at Leipsic. Like Tilly, however, he was repulsed with dreadful loss, nor could ha by repeated assaults succeed in changing the fortunes of the day. So manifest, indeed, had been his failure that in the afternoon Lee discerned the opportunity of assuming the aggressive himself, and advanced in his turn upon the Federals, but without any material success till night was closing in, when he turned the right of Grant's army and drove it back upon tha centre with a loss of nearly 7,000 men. That the advantage at this time rested rather with the Confederates than the Federals is not denied, but, nevertheless, on the night of the 6th Lee retired once more, and took up a new position at Spottsylvania Court•houee. To this point Grant lost not an hour in following bun, and, after some shi:rp skirmishing on Satan., day, he again assailed the Confederates with unmi. tigated fury on Sunday morning. All through that Sabbath-day, all through Monday. and apparently Walls End. Zarton 15 01 15 01 8y1,9 11 Ships at marks [ADvEuTisEmEINT.I--Holloway's Pills.--Satisfac Results.—Whenever' the blood is foul, the sto mach' blO ordered, or the bowels ;:regular, these pills prove infall curatives. A gentleman, who had been a sufferer fur ye l 4 though he lied sought the beet professional aid, writes , iC cannot describe the effect your medicine had upon we ', O l carried off more bile, and made me feel lighter and ' cheerful than all the medicine I had taken previouslY,;;, Holloway's pills strengthen the stomach, prevent ness, purify the blood, raise the spirits, and give enerPoot both body and mind. In diseases of the head , hearttoto. kidneys these pills are invaluable, not only removing o fteil gerous symptoms, but in warding off the dire 40 06 resulting from injudicious treatment. wi" Births. CARRUTHERS.—On the 23d inst., at Finchley, t- James Carruthers, Esq., of a daughter. k * IV DE TRAFFORD.—On the 21st inst., at Trafford - p ar- ' cheater, the Lady Annette de Trafford, of a son. ~,a rg e• GoititoN.—On the 21st inst., at 3 5 , Charles-street,Zroth ley-square, the wife of Lieut.-Colonel Ge o. a. v° Scots Fusilier Guards, of a son. m o ci• ~re SEDLEY.—On the 20th inst. at Itydes-hill, wife of Commander J. Sedley, of H,M.'s of a son. Marriages. ~t o tre : a BETTY—GREEN.—On tho 19th inst., at Houg'"," r ds &- Spring, Rowland V. Betty, Esq., 2d Dragoon ' l ' s ' (l 9 Lydia Mary, elder daughter of the late J. S. Gre l3, ot Houghton-le-Spring, Durham. 0. " 13 -C f GADDIMI—JOYNSON.—On the 19th inst. , atA s - h a." - 11 Mersey, Henry Theodore, eldest son of F. -b. gP , Esq.. Didebury, to Emily Elizabeth , y ounger of William Joynson, Esq„ Sale Moor. Deaths. 561. ' BRIGHTWEN.—On the 21st inst , John John 800064 of Thorpe, Norwich, aged 81. :Iv GRAVENER —On the 19th inst., at Dover, Ge orge Gravener, Esq., aged 89. Ari&& Clift;°: lIOLMAN.—On the 19th inst., at Glencairn 39 bl.- c Captain Holman, R.N., brother of the cel ebrate traveller, aged 81. .0110 14 LAKE—On the 19th inst., at his residence; DaVe4 house, Shooter's-hill, Major-General Noel I•it . g eci C. 8., late Colonel of the Royal Horse Artiller9l7loAal WARD—On the 21st inst., at the house of her o ° ooo deeply regretted by a large circle of friends, Mrs' Ward, ot Newgate-market, aged 67. London: Printed and Prl,lished by WI C LLlAsleFice• of No. 112, Strand, Pri nter, at Tim SUN OWt.)0041 Strand, .11 the Precinct of the Savoy, n tUe -- Midelkeeex —Tuesday, May 24, 1864. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MAY 24, 1864.